1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite electronic apparatus including a remote control device that transmits different key code signals for operation and a main body of the composite electronic apparatus that is made up of a plurality of electronic devices having different functions (for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD) recorder, a video cassette recorder (VCR), and the like). In particular, the present invention relates to a composite electronic apparatus having a function of displaying a transmission mode of the remote control device.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent years, a composite electronic apparatus including a plurality of electronic devices, e.g., a DVD recorder and a VCR, has become widely available. Such a composite electronic apparatus is equipped with a remote control device, which transmits different key code signals for operation corresponding to different electronic devices included in the composite electronic apparatus. For example, when the remote control device is used for operating the VCR, the remote control device is switched to a VCR transmission mode by using a mode switching key. When the remote control device is used for operating the DVD recorder, the remote control device is switched to a DVD transmission mode by using the mode switching key. After that, an operation key that is common to the VCR and the DVD recorder is operated for obtaining a desired action of the VCR or the DVD.
However, if a user operates an action command key, i.e., the operation key that is common to the VCR and the DVD recorder, without having operated the mode switching key of the remote control device correctly, a key code signal corresponding to an electronic device that is not the electronic device wanted by the user will be transmitted from the remote control device. Therefore, there may be a case where the desired electronic device does not work for the user to view a picture or listen to music in spite of having operated the action command key.
For example, if the user wants to rewind a videocassette inserted into the VCR in the state where the DVD recorder is working so that sounds and pictures reproduced by the DVD recorder are outputted from a television set, the user is required to switch the mode switching key of the remote control device to the VCR transmission mode side and to operate a rewind key. After that, if the user forgets to reset the mode switching key of the remote control device to the DVD transmission mode side, the DVD recorder will not work as the user desires. For example, the DVD recorder in the state of a reproduction operation will not stop or pause even if the user operates a stop key or a pause key.
The conventional composite electronic apparatus does not inform the user of a current transmission mode of the remote control device, namely the VCR side or the DVD side. Therefore, the above-mentioned situation may occur. In the example described above, the user misunderstands that the current transmission mode is set to the DVD recorder side although it is actually set to the VCR side. In this case, there is a possibility that the user misunderstands that the remote control device is broken down because the DVD recorder does not work in spite of the operation of the stop key on the pause key of the remote control device.
JP-A-2002-315080 discloses another conventional technique, in which a user selects a desired electronic device from a plurality of available electronic devices by operating a VCR mode switching key, a TV mode switching key, or a DVD mode switching key. In this case, the key for operating the selected electronic device illuminates in the same color as the selected mode switching key. In addition, it is also possible to blink the selected mode switching key. However, the user cannot see which transmission mode, the VCR side, the TV side, or the DVD side has been set, just before operating the remote control device. For example, if the transmission mode just before the operation is set to the VCR side, the user cannot operate the TV or the DVD recorder. Therefore, in the case of this conventional technique too, there is a possibility that the user misunderstands that the remote control device is broken down.
Japanese utility model publication No. 3093722 discloses another conventional technique. When either a mode switching key for switching the transmission mode of the remote control device or an action command key for commanding switching of operation modes of the composite electronic apparatus is operated, the corresponding remote control signal is transmitted. Then, a two-color LED for indicating a transmission mode of the remote control device blinks for a predetermined period of time so as to indicate a current transmission mode of the remote control device. For example, if a red color LED blinks for a predetermined period of time, it is understood that the transmission mode of the remote control device is set to the VCR side. If a green color LED blinks for a predetermined period of time, it is understood that the transmission mode of the remote control device is set to the DVD side. However, if the user forgets that the blink of the red color LED indicates the transmission mode of the VCR side while the blink of the green color LED indicates the transmission mode of the DVD side, the user performs erroneous operation and, as a result, cannot operate the desired electronic device. Therefore, in the case of this conventional technique too, there is a possibility that the user misunderstands that the remote control device is broken down.
JP-A-2005-117160 discloses another conventional technique, in which it is determined whether or not a remote control signal received from the remote control device has a code corresponding to an output mode of the composite electronic apparatus. If the received remote control signal does not have the code corresponding to the output mode of the composite electronic apparatus, this is displayed on a screen of a monitor device. However, the user cannot see which side the current transmission mode of the remote control device is, the VCR side or the DVD side, before operating the remote control device. If the transmission mode just before the operation is set to the VCR side, the DVD recorder cannot be operated. Therefore, in the case of this conventional technique too, there is a possibility that the user misunderstands that the remote control device is broken down.